Vortex tube

ABSTRACT

A vortex tube for converting pressure air to hot and cold air fractions and constructed of a body and cap assembled together with the cap and body forming a vortex chamber and a surrounding plenum chamber with a cold air passage extending outwardly from the cap and an elongate hot air passage extending outwardly of the body with the parts formed of plastic and shaped to provide a plug fit with each other and mounting an annular air filter screen therebetween and with a nozzle and valve unit threaded onto an end of the body providing for a plurality of control positions whereby either maximum cold air may be emitted from the unit or high temperature air can be emitted from the other end of the unit.

Anderson et al.

[451 Jan. 22, 1974 VORTEX TUBE Inventors: Richard T. Anderson; WillardL.

Andrist, both of Owatonna, Minn.

Owatonna Tool Company, Owatonna, Minn.

Filed: Jan. 2, 1973 Appl. No.: 320,649

Assignee:

US. Cl. 62/5, 62/408 Int. CLQ. F25b 9/02 Field of Search 62/5 1References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-William .l. WyeAttorney, Agent, or Firm-l-lofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [57] ABSTRACT A vortex tube for converting pressure air to hot and coldair fractions and constructed of a body and cap assembled together withthe cap and body forming a vortex chamber and a surrounding plenumchamber with a cold air passage extending outwardly from the cap and anelongate hot air passage extending outwardly of the body with the partsformed of plastic and shaped to provide a plug fit with each other andmounting an annular air filter screen therebetween and with a nozzle andvalve unit threaded onto an end of the body providing for a plurality ofcontrol positions whereby either maximum cold air may be emitted fromthe unit or high temperature air can be emitted from the other end ofthe unit.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 voRTExTUBE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention pertains to vortex tubes and, more particularly, to avortex tube usable in the automotive field as a device for coolingautomatic chokes in the process of testing thereof.

Vortex tubes are well known in the art with the early developmentthereofbeing by Georges Ranque. As stated in a textbook entitled Refrigerationand Air Conditioning" byJordan and Priester, Copyright 1948 byPrentiss-Hall, the tube has been known as the Ranque tube, the I-Iilschtube, or the vortex tube. Since that time, others have worked ondevelopments of such vortex tubes. Typical of these additionaldevelopments are the Bramley U.S. Pat. No. 2,581,168, Fulton U.S. Pat.No. 3,173,273, and Fulton U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,229.

Additionally, others have worked on vortex tubes, with the provision forvalve structure at the end thereof from which the hot gas is emittedincluding Tildon U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,243, l-lendel U.S.Pat. No.2,893,214, and I-Iardebol et al. US. Pat. No. 2,955,432.

None of the foregoing patents disclose an economical vortex tubestructure wherein the parts may be made of plastic withpIug-interfitting of a body and cap, with the captureof' an annular airscreen in the plenum chamber of the vortex tube and between the body andcap and with valve structure at the hot air end of the vortextube-having a restricted flow-through provision for obtaining hightemperature air for use when desired with positioning of the valvestructure to permit relatively nonrestricted air flow from the hot endof the vortex tube when it is desired to emit extremely cold air fromthe other end of the vortex tube.

SUMMARY The vortex tube disclosed herein overcomes the problems anddisadvantages of the prior art referred to above and enables theproduction of aninexpensive vortex tube having use in the automotivefield as a choke tester wherein it is necessary to cool down anautomatic chokeas-part' of the testing procedure and wherein the vortex;tube may selectively emit usable high temperature air from the oppositeend thereof and with suitable fitting attachments.-

A primary feature of the invention is to provide a vortex tube structurewhereinthe structure is basically formed from a body and cap of plasticmaterial which are shaped to provide an interfitting-plug relation andto define therebetween a vortex chamber and a surrounding plenum chamberwith a series of air channels therebetween entering tangentially intothe vortex chamber and with an annular air filter screen positioned inthe plenum chamber and held in position by the ends thereof engaged inannular grooves in opposed faces of the cap and body.

An additional feature of the invention is to provide a vortex tube asdefined in the preceding paragraph wherein the body has an elongatepassage and with a nozzle and valve unit threadably fitted onto the bodywith a restricted air passage and a nonrestricted air passage and withthe nozzle and valve unit being selectively positioned to either permitflow only through the restricted air passage when hot air is desiredand, alternatively, to permit positioning of the unit in a variety ofpositions to permit relatively nonrestricted air flow through thenonrestricted passage when it is desired to have colder air emitted fromthe cold end of the vortex tube.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved vortex tubehaving the features set forth above and overcoming the problems andshortcomings of the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thevortex tube as usable as a choke tester;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken generallyalong the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken generally along the line 3-3 in FIG.2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the nozzle and valve unit shown inassociation with an end of the body and with the nozzle and valve unitin a different position from that shown in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The vortex tube, is showngenerally in FIG. 1 and has a body, indicated generally at 10,associated with a cap, indicated generally at 11. The body 10 has acentral recess 15 to receive a plug section 16 of the cap 11 ininterfitting relation and with an O-ring l7 captured therebetween toseal the body and cap together and with the body and cap having abuttingsurfaces 18. The body and cap are held in assembled relation by a seriesof attaching members 20.

As well known in the art, a vortex tube has a vortex chamber 21surrounded by a plenum chamber 22 and with a series of air channels 23extending between the vortex chamber 21 and the plenum chamber 22 andentering tangentially into the vortex chamber. In the structuredisclosed herein, the body 10 has a central section 25 coacting with theplug section 16 of the cap 11 to define the vortex chamber therebetweenand with the air channels 23 being formed by grooves in the face of thecentral section 25 of the body and completely defined by the end face ofthe plug section 16 of the cap.

Air under pressure enters the vortex tube through an inlet 30 in thebody 10, with the air passing to the annular plenum chamber 22 andthrough the air channels 23 to the vortex chamber 21. In order to filterthe air, an annular pervious filter screen 31 is positioned in theplenum chamber with the opposite ends thereof seated in an annulargroove 32 in the body and an annular groove 33 in the cap. In assemblyof the cap and body the annular screen 31 can be inserted into thegroove 32 in the body 10 and the cap then placed in final position toseat the opposite end of the annular filter screen 31 in the groove 33of the cap.

The cap 11 has a cold air passage 40 with a slight taper formed in atubular part 41 thereof and which is of a diameter less than the vortexchamber 21. The body 10 has a lateral tubular extension 45 with apassage 46 which is of a diameter less than the vortex chamber 21 and ofa diameter greater than the cold air passage 40. This constructionenables the air entering the vortex chamber to reach an increasedvelocity and provide for better separation of the air into hot and coldfractions. This relation of the vortex chamber to the air passages isknown in the art and described in the Bramely U.S. Pat. No. 2,581,168.

A nozzle and valve unit, indicated generally at 50, is associated withthe free end of the lateral tubular extension 45 of the body 10, andcontrols the operation of the vortex tube with regard to the temperatureof the air fractions delivered from the vortex tube. The nozzle andvalve unit 50 is generally cup-shaped and has a transverse wall 51 witha restricted air passage 52 concentric with the air passage 46. The endof the passage 52 has a metal insert 53 with an orifice 54 providing forrestricted air flow therethrough. With the parts as positioned in FIG.2, the only air that can flow to the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, is theair which travels through the orifice 54. This results in relativelyhigh temperature air being emitted therefrom, while air emitted from thecold air passage 40 is not of a significantly low temperature.

The nozzle and valve unit 50 is threadably mounted to the tubularextension 45 by threads, indicated at 55, and is in an inner limitposition, as shown in FIG. 2, with the transverse wall 51 in engagementwith an end of the tubular extension 45. The nozzle and valve unit 50may be rotated and, due to its threaded relation with the tubularextension 45, moved to one of several positions away from the innerlimit position with one of these positions being shown in FIG. 4. Insuch position, the transverse wall thereof is moved away from the end ofthe tubular extension 45 of the body whereby air flowing through thepassage 46 can flow to a nonrestricted air passage 60 through aperipheral wall 61 of the nozzle and valve unit whereby air passingthrough the passage 46 is not at a maximum high temperature, but thecold air emitted from the cold air passage 40 may be at or near themaximum cold temperature.

The nozzle and valve unit has a heat sleeve 65 as a part thereof whichsurrounds the tubular part 45 of the body.

The body and the cap 11 are shaped for construction of molded plasticparts, as is the nozzle and valve unit 50. In order to provide theorifice passage 54, the metal insert 53 is molded into the nozzle andvalve unit whereby a long, small restricted passage may be provided. Asshown, a separate sleeve 65 is provided with external serrations tofacilitate rotation of the nozzle and valve unit 50, with this sleevebeing fitted onto the wall 61 which threadably fits onto the body part45. The sleeve 65 has an opening 66 aligned with the opening 60.

With the construction disclosed herein formed of simply shaped, moldedplastic parts, it is possible to extend the advantages of a vortex tubewhich separates air under pressure into hot and cold fractions intofields of use, such as automobile garages, where there are requirementsfor hot or cold air with a known requirement for cold air being to chillan automatic choke in an automobile being serviced.

We claim:

1. A vortex tube for separating compressed air into hot and coldfractions comprising, a body and a cap in assembled relation and havingmeans to define a vortex chamber and a plenum chamber, a series of airchannels extending between said plenum chamber and the vortex chamberand entering tangentially of said vortex chamber, said cap having a coldair passage extending from the vortex chamber to the exterior of saidtube, said body having an elongate passage extending from the vortexchamber for the entire length thereof, and a nozzle and valve unithaving a flow restricting orifice and an air exhaust passage, said unitbeing mounted on an end of said body for movement between one positioncausing all air flowing in said elongate passage to pass through saidflow restricting orifice to any of a plurality of positions where airmay flow through said air exhaust passage at a controlled rate greaterthan through said flow restricting orifice.

2. A vortex tube as defined in claim 1 wherein said nozzle and valveunit is cup-shaped and threaded onto an end of said body, said airexhaust passage being in a side wall of the unit, and said nozzle andvalve unit having an internal wall engaging an end of said body in saidone position to block air flow to said air exhaust passage and cause airto flow through said flow restricting orifice.

3. A vortex tube as defined in claim 1 wherein said nozzle and valveunit is of molded plastic and a metal insert therein defines said flowrestricting orifice.

4. A vortex tube as defined in claim 1 wherein ssaid nozzle and valveunit has an insulating sleeve extending therefrom and in spacedsurrounding relation with a part of said body having said elongatepassage.

5. A vortex tube for separating compressed air into hot and coldfractions comprising, a body and a cap in assembled relation and havingmeans to define a vortex chamber and a plenum chamber, a series of airchannels extending between said plenum chamber and the vortex chamberand entering tangentially of said vortex chamber, said cap having a coldair passage extending from the vortex chamber to the exterior of saidtube, said body having an elongate passage extending from the vortexchamber for the entire length thereof, said body having a central recessand said cap having a central plug section fitted into said recess, anair inlet in said body leading to said plenum chamber, and an annularair filter screen in said plenum chamber having one end seated in agroove in said body and the other end seated in a groove in the plugsection of said cap.

6. A vortex tube as defined in claim 5 wherein said elongate bodypassage terminates at an end of the body, a cup-shaped nozzle and valveunit threaded onto an end of the body and having a transverse wall witha restricted flow passage concentric with said elongate body passage,and a non-restricted air exhaust passage in a perimetral wall of saidunit, said unit having one position wherein said transverse wall engagesthe end of the body and blocks air flow to said non-restricted airexhaust passages and a plurality of other positions controlling air flowto said latter passage.

1. A vortex tube for separating compressed air into hot and coldfractions comprising, a body and a cap in assembled relation and havingmeans to define a vortex chamber and a plenum chamber, a series of airchannels extending between said plenum chamber and the vortex chamberand entering tangentially of said vortex chamber, said cap having a coldair passage extending from the vortex chamber to the exterior of saidtube, said body having an elongate passage extending from the vortexchamber for the entire length thereof, and a nozzle and valve unithaving a flow restricting orifice and an air exhaust passage, said unitbeing mounted on an end of said body for movement between one positioncausing all air flowing in said elongate passage to pass through saidflow restricting orifice to any of a plurality of positions where airmay flow through said air exhaust passage at a controlled rate greaterthan through said flow restricting orifice.
 2. A vortex tube as definedin claim 1 wherein said nozzle and valve unit is cup-shaped and threadedonto an end of said body, said air exhaust passage being in a side wallof the unit, and said nozzle and valve unit having an internal wallengaging an end of said body in said one position to block air flow tosaid air exhaust passage and cause air to flow through said flowrestricting orifice.
 3. A vortex tube aS defined in claim 1 wherein saidnozzle and valve unit is of molded plastic and a metal insert thereindefines said flow restricting orifice.
 4. A vortex tube as defined inclaim 1 wherein ssaid nozzle and valve unit has an insulating sleeveextending therefrom and in spaced surrounding relation with a part ofsaid body having said elongate passage.
 5. A vortex tube for separatingcompressed air into hot and cold fractions comprising, a body and a capin assembled relation and having means to define a vortex chamber and aplenum chamber, a series of air channels extending between said plenumchamber and the vortex chamber and entering tangentially of said vortexchamber, said cap having a cold air passage extending from the vortexchamber to the exterior of said tube, said body having an elongatepassage extending from the vortex chamber for the entire length thereof,said body having a central recess and said cap having a central plugsection fitted into said recess, an air inlet in said body leading tosaid plenum chamber, and an annular air filter screen in said plenumchamber having one end seated in a groove in said body and the other endseated in a groove in the plug section of said cap.
 6. A vortex tube asdefined in claim 5 wherein said elongate body passage terminates at anend of the body, a cup-shaped nozzle and valve unit threaded onto an endof the body and having a transverse wall with a restricted flow passageconcentric with said elongate body passage, and a non-restricted airexhaust passage in a perimetral wall of said unit, said unit having oneposition wherein said transverse wall engages the end of the body andblocks air flow to said non-restricted air exhaust passages and aplurality of other positions controlling air flow to said latterpassage.